Author Topic: Exotic realm cultures  (Read 29630 times)

Iltaran

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #15: March 08, 2011, 11:44:20 AM »
Back when I was King, Old Grehk felt a bit like I imagine the Byzantine Empire did during some of its low points. A once mighty empire, reduced to its capital city, its original heartland lost long ago, and hugely outnumbered by its enemies. But still utterly convinced that they're the centre of the world and if this next plan just succeeds then the whole empire will return to its rightful owners (even though they haven't set foot there in generations) ;D

Different to the above cases because it was just something that happened; I only thought about the similarities afterwards really.
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BardicNerd

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #16: March 08, 2011, 04:49:37 PM »

The various Pirate realms are interesting as well, and probably not exactly "medieval" so much as 17th and 18th century-based. Madina comes to mind, and I think there used to be one on the Far East out of Batesoar.
This is a shame, because there was plenty of piracy in all historical periods, including the middle ages.  Of course, the culture and flavor of any group of pirates varied depending upon their origin and time period, and pirates in the ancient Mediterranean were different than late medieval pirates in the north sea, who were different than 1600s/1700s pirates in the Caribbean (which is practically all anyone thinks of when they think 'pirates').

I'm hoping that perhaps some of a medieval piracy feel can be revived in Batesaor, though of course my character disapproves of this as the Duke of the city.

Anaris

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #17: March 08, 2011, 05:01:46 PM »
This is a shame, because there was plenty of piracy in all historical periods, including the middle ages.  Of course, the culture and flavor of any group of pirates varied depending upon their origin and time period, and pirates in the ancient Mediterranean were different than late medieval pirates in the north sea, who were different than 1600s/1700s pirates in the Caribbean (which is practically all anyone thinks of when they think 'pirates').

I'm hoping that perhaps some of a medieval piracy feel can be revived in Batesaor, though of course my character disapproves of this as the Duke of the city.

Piracy was certainly prevalent.  However, it wasn't so much practiced by nobles.

Tom has explicitly voiced his disapproval of anyone attempting to play their nobles as pirates.
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Longmane

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #18: March 08, 2011, 06:04:16 PM »
Actually, I was wondering, when were the Vikings around? I mean, Scandinavia is still Europe.

It varies which specific race your considering, but the last real hurrah for them was around the end of the 13th century, around the time of the Baltic crusades.

I take a keen interest in them myself, as not only are both my chars of Norse origin,  but my hometown was actually first settled by them :)

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Vellos

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #19: March 08, 2011, 09:11:43 PM »
Also this got me thinking, we acttually don't have a real monarchy in BM.
I have't seen a realm yet that worships it's king and family as decendants from god and have the throne passed from father to son or daughter.
I am brainstorming with a few players on it right now.
That would be the first realm that actually truely resembles a north european monarchy.

Irombrozia/Republic of Fwuvoghor. Me and Ban TRIED to do this, and there was (some) limited success to it in RoF, and even more limited success in Irombrozia.

However, you are wrong about worshipping a king. LATE European kingdoms believed in "Divine Right," but Medieval monarchs did not rule by Divine Right. It's really late-Middle-Ages up to the Enlightenment that sees absolutist monarchs. Even theologically steeped, powerful monarchs like Charlemagne or Alfred the Great didn't have anything approaching Divine Right. And they CERTAINLY weren't worshipped.

But, hereditary monarchies would be neat. The issue is an OOC one, however. If the same player is playing all those characters... it's boring for everyone else. Which is why you need multiple players, and marriages, where the same player does not continually get the "heir." You get a "royal family" which includes characters played by five or six players after a few generations.
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Bedwyr

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #20: March 08, 2011, 09:40:45 PM »
Irombrozia/Republic of Fwuvoghor. Me and Ban TRIED to do this, and there was (some) limited success to it in RoF, and even more limited success in Irombrozia.

But, hereditary monarchies would be neat. The issue is an OOC one, however. If the same player is playing all those characters... it's boring for everyone else. Which is why you need multiple players, and marriages, where the same player does not continually get the "heir." You get a "royal family" which includes characters played by five or six players after a few generations.

Kelley (House Kindon) and I are trying to do a variant of this, with other nobles taking Ruler positions in the interim while the kids grow up to prevent the OOC stranglehold problem.  We'll see how well it works out.
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BardicNerd

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #21: March 09, 2011, 12:16:52 AM »
Piracy was certainly prevalent.  However, it wasn't so much practiced by nobles.
In that nobles generally did not do the actual pirating, yes.  However, nobles were certainly involved in piracy, sponsoring groups of pirates that would operate near their lands and give them a portion of their profits.  I know this was true in Ireland, and wouldn't be surprised if similar situations existed elsewhere.

One could also think of the Vikings as pirates of a sort, if you stretch definitions a bit.

Quote from: Vellos
However, you are wrong about worshipping a king. LATE European kingdoms believed in "Divine Right," but Medieval monarchs did not rule by Divine Right. It's really late-Middle-Ages up to the Enlightenment that sees absolutist monarchs. Even theologically steeped, powerful monarchs like Charlemagne or Alfred the Great didn't have anything approaching Divine Right. And they CERTAINLY weren't worshipped.
In a similar vein, aren't things like 'separation of church and state' a post medieval idea?  Seeing so many people supporting more modern ideas like this is one of the exotic things that annoys me.  But I could be wrong.

« Last Edit: March 09, 2011, 12:19:13 AM by BardicNerd »

Chenier

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #22: March 09, 2011, 01:30:28 AM »
One could also think of the Vikings as pirates of a sort, if you stretch definitions a bit.
In a similar vein, aren't things like 'separation of church and state' a post medieval idea?  Seeing so many people supporting more modern ideas like this is one of the exotic things that annoys me.  But I could be wrong.

It's to be expected, though. They don't only do it for modern reasons, they also do it because it's a great way to control religions that the political elite would otherwise have limited control over.
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Iltaran

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #23: March 09, 2011, 02:43:09 AM »
Piracy was certainly prevalent.  However, it wasn't so much practiced by nobles.

Tom has explicitly voiced his disapproval of anyone attempting to play their nobles as pirates.

Uh, that rather depends how you define piracy. Small scale raiding (on land and sea) was more or less constant around the border regions and nobody was going to know if you happened to loot a "friendly" ship or two. That's even before you get onto the Corsairs.

In a similar vein, aren't things like 'separation of church and state' a post medieval idea?  Seeing so many people supporting more modern ideas like this is one of the exotic things that annoys me.  But I could be wrong.

It was more or less unknown during medieval Europe. Some bits of the ancient world came close though (the Diadochi during the Hellenistic period come to mind).
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Chenier

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #24: March 09, 2011, 03:18:40 AM »
Piracy was certainly prevalent.  However, it wasn't so much practiced by nobles.

Tom has explicitly voiced his disapproval of anyone attempting to play their nobles as pirates.

I seem to recall this disapproval was stated in the context of Dwilight's SMA, though.
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Anaris

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #25: March 09, 2011, 01:41:02 PM »
I seem to recall this disapproval was stated in the context of Dwilight's SMA, though.

No, it predated that.

He may very well have re-stated it for SMA, though.
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Chenier

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #26: March 09, 2011, 04:34:09 PM »
No, it predated that.

He may very well have re-stated it for SMA, though.

This must be the case, then, 'cause I remember him saying this when it was pointed out that Madina was starting a pirate realm.
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Vellos

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #27: March 09, 2011, 08:27:50 PM »
In a similar vein, aren't things like 'separation of church and state' a post medieval idea?  Seeing so many people supporting more modern ideas like this is one of the exotic things that annoys me.  But I could be wrong.

Yes, it is.

In Irombrozia, we had very little church-state separation. Then again, we were also very little.

In Terran, we have pretty strong church-state separation, but that's basically a reaction against Astroism. We probably would declare Triunism our state religion if we didn't worry it might force us into uncomfortable political decisions. So we have pretty strong religious freedom, but religion still plays a big role. My character views himself as performing a religious function as Senator of Chesney.
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Chenier

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #28: March 09, 2011, 10:38:08 PM »
Yes, it is.

In Irombrozia, we had very little church-state separation. Then again, we were also very little.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Iro's ruler (you) also the founder of the faith? Pretty easy to mix the both of them when it's the same person that leads both.
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DoctorHarte

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #29: March 10, 2011, 02:50:03 AM »
Maybe the players there made it work, but from afar it didn't look too good.

Heen was destroyed in the 4th invasion. Pretty quickly by the Daimons.. then went Mesh.. and Hetland. Come to think of it, the undead utterly failed at destroying any realms.
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